Also from Zoxell: These are the Voyages

Daniel Noah Shays is a human, born on Earth to a hard-working agriculturalist couple in the South Carolina back-country. Dan’s father was a farmer, as was his father’s father, going back hundreds of years. The world had moved past agriculture a long time ago. Having eliminated food shortages and hunger with the onset of replication technology, food growers on Earth were no longer necessary. This fact did not diminish the demand for fresh, organic vegetables, eggs, dairy, and meat, however.

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Chapter 5.21 – Engagement

Even though boys grow up, they rarely grow out of their favorite childhood things.

For Jimmy Vergne, his obsession of choice is hot rod cars. Faith doesn’t mind the hobby so much as she does the exhaust fumes that hang in the air at the trade shows he enjoys attending. Looking back, she should have seen the rather obvious outcome of tonight’s big event. He had asked her a million times that day whether she was still planning on coming with him.

After stopping at EVERY SINGLE hot rod car on display, they finally head into the stadium to watch the stock cars race. Shortly after the winner is announced, and the driver is given his smooch by an impossibly built blonde, Faith is ready to launch out of her seat and head back home. She knows instantly what is happening as soon as the stadium’s announcer asks “Faith Barimen” and “Jimmy Vergne” to accompany the driver in the winner’s circle.

Faith does an amazing job of holding back her excitement while jimmy grabs her hand and nearly sprints down to the black top. She smiles through pursed lips, trying not to laugh, as he sweats profusely and fumbles for the ring box he has been hiding in his pocket. She is nearly overcome with how much she loves this sweet, geeky, and perfect man. She laughs and comments on how much of a nerd he is, and that she loves him fiercely because of it. She throws her arms around him and agrees, repeating “yes” at least a dozen times to the sound of applause ringing through the stadium.

Since stock car racing does not seem to be the hobby of choice for many of the scientists at the Barimen Research Facility, the news had not yet reached the unusual segment of Sunset Valley’s demographic. With Doc, Jimmy, and Faith all working at the labs now, the next day turns into an impromptu engagement party for the happy couple. Faith seems perfectly content drinking champagne out of beakers and eating hors d’oeuvres prepared on bunsen burners and served on petri dishes.

Despite the thrill of her engagement to Jimmy fresh on her senses, Faith still keeps the nature of her disturbing conversation with Kacey stored in the back of her mind. She has survived more trauma than any sim should be able to endure. But somehow, she manages to remain likable and friendly most of the time. Sure, she is a little odd. But based upon her own personality and social group, Faith is probably not a very good judge of “odd”. They have had some pretty deep conversations since the night of her birthday, where Kacey shed some light into her very unusual situation. She spends most of her time working out equations. Faith recognises some of the symbols used in quantum physics, but Kacey’s application of them goes far above Faith’s ability.

The two young women have begun to enjoy a solid friendship based on Faith’s unique insight. And as such, Faith has broken down some of the barriers Kacey has erected to protect herself. It is a Sunday morning after church service that Faith finds her on the breezeway leading from the guest suite. Faith has always liked the view from this spot, where all of Sunset Vally is visible. Kacey is again working through equations with a pencil and paper. Faith joins her and sits for a short time before speaking. Seemingly from out of nowhere, Faith asks Kacey the bold question of exactly how hold she is.

Kacey pauses, and frowns thoughtfully. While continuing to scratch out her work on the paper, she follows up by asking whether Faith is asking about absolute age, or relative age. If she only counts the actual, physical, age of her body then she is nineteen years old. Kacey’s youthful face shows how deeply strenuous this journey has been on her mentality.

She asks Faith to imagine a vehicle that travels at normal speed across the country. It, and its occupants, would age about two weeks. Now imagine a vehicle that makes the same journey in two seconds; on roads designed for vehicles taking two weeks. Kacey smiles. The danger involved is unimaginable, and the energies required must be exactly calculated. Those that have tampered with the process have died during the attempt.

Her answer sounds cold and factual, bare of any emotion to give away how she actually feels. Faith wonders if she had always been this way, or whether circumstances have made her like this. Still, there is a pervasive loneliness about Kacey that remains carefully guarded. Faith tries to cheer her up by announcing her engagement to Jimmy.

Kacey’s reaction to the ring is unsettling. The chrome-haired, young woman immediately chokes up with tears and nods. Faith is confused by her reaction at first, but then the realization hits her like a thrown brick. Faith whispers that David, her great-grandfather, had asked Kacey to marry him. Faith’s heart sinks to her stomach as she sees the troubled young woman with a new respect and empathy. Working hard to retain her composure, Kacey shifts her hand around inside a pocket and produces a brilliant engagement ring. Faith covers her mouth to hide her own despair. This is a woman on a mission to save the man she loves, while befriending the family he has fathered with a different woman.

There are no words to express what Faith is thinking as the ring is pressed into her hand. In a ghost-like whisper, she instructs Faith to give it to a male heir. It is clearly not out of bitterness, anger, or envy that Kacey does this. But the sadness is more than Faith can stand. Kacey gives Faith a warm embrace, then quickly turns and retreats into the guest room. It is a long time before Faith can even blink in reaction to the profound gesture. Then, as she stands alone in empty silence, Faith makes a silent oath:

Kacey will wear this ring again some day; she is not sure how, but it will happen.

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5 thoughts on “Chapter 5.21 – Engagement”

This storyline is so complex! I can’t wait to learn more about Faith’s silent oath toward Kacey and how it will play out! With regard, to the present storyline, I’m so excited Faith and Jimmy are engaged. Jimmy has really turned out to be a rather attractive sim and I know that with Faith, he’ll have some really cute children.

Zoxell

Up Next: Part 21 – ??

August 20, 2017
Van and Benita finally begin to heal their relationship and discover that their friendship does, indeed, have a much more complicated component. Big things await our embattled couple.
Next up – Frightening news from Area 15 is accompanied by a surprise visit from an old friend. Also, Benita receives help from a very unexpected source.